Submissions are open for 2026
What is the Ron Kovic Peace Prize?
The Ron Kovic Peace Prize is presented each year by artist, author and peace advocate Ron Kovic, a former U.S. Marine Corps sergeant who was paralyzed during his second tour of duty in the Vietnam war. Kovic's autobiography Born on the Fourth of July became a New York Times bestseller that was adapted into a film of the same name by Kovic and director Oliver Stone. The film earned Academy Awards for Stone and Tom Cruise, who portrayed Kovic, and a Golden Globe for Kovic and Stone for the screenplay.
Kovic continues his four-decade quest for peace by sponsoring the annual Ron Kovic Peace Prize at the MY HERO International Film Festival. The award goes to filmmakers whose short films (up to 10 minutes) reflect peace and nonviolent solutions.
Learn more about Ron Kovic.
Submit your film and help promote peace in our world! ✨
Click here to download the flyer.
2025 Ron Kovic Peace Prize Winner - The Courage of Conscience
2024 Ron Kovic Peace Prize Winner - GRILLO
View all of the 2024 Finalists here
2023 Ron Kovic Peace Prize Winner - WAR
2023 Ron Kovic Youth Peace Prize Winner - Shalom Ukraine
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE 2023 RON KOVIC PEACE PRIZE FINALISTS
2022 Ron Kovic Peace Prize Winner - Alan Magee - Art is not a Solace
VIEW ALL OF THE 2022 FINALISTS HERE
2021 RON KOVIC PEACE PRIZE WINNER - OutSwing by Samar Minallah Khan
2020 Winner - The Peace of Wild Things by Katy Wang Poet: Wendell Berry
2020 Winner - The Curious Scroll: How Does Something Ugly Become Beautiful by Andrew Purchin
Congratulations to ALL of the 2020 Peace Prize FInalists
2019 Winner - Bullets to Books featuring Jok Abraham Thon
View the 2019 Ron Kovic Peace Prize Finalists
2018 Winner Kim Phuc [excerpt] -The Sunrise Storyteller by Kasha Sequoia Slavner
View the 2018 Ron Kovic Peace Prize Finalists
2017 Winner - Reclaiming Pakistan by Lisa Donato
2016 Winner - Post War Machismo: Be A Man by Liz Mermin
2015 Winner - Defying Death in Sough Sudan by Francis Mead
2014 Winner- Blessed is the Peacemaker by Taqi Juba
